14 November 2009

Between 1964 and 1992, Texaco (now Chevron) dumped over 18.5 billion gallons of oil in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Birth defects, cancer rates and general malaise are exceedingly common in the city of Lago Agrio and other communities living near the 627 open, unlined waste pits that remain full of crude petroleum. The toxins have seeped into the groundwater, poisoning crops and livestock while leaving many residents with no choice but to drink contaminated water.Mycorestoration uses a host of mycological technologies to rehabilitate ecologically degraded habitats. Mycoremediation applies the natural capacity of mycelium to break down or remove toxic substances such as petroleum hydrocarbons, PCBs and heavy metals.

The Cloud Forest Institute in collaboration with the AmazonMycorenewal Project and The Clean Up Oil Waste Project inviteundergraduate, graduate and lifelong students to attend our 2009Winter Service Learning Course on Ecuadorian Political Ecology, OilPollution, and Mycoremediation.

Mycoremediation is a developing scientific field experimenting withmushrooms to sequester toxins. Mycelium is now being tested in Ecuadorin an effort to clean up billions of gallons of toxic oil wastes leftbehind by Chevron Texaco during its 20 years of operation there (forwhich the company is currently on trial in perhaps the largestenvironmental lawsuit in history).

This course will take students to Quito, Lago Agrio, Mindo andCuyabeno to experience the striking biological and cultural diversityof Ecuador’s many regions including the Andes Mountains and AmazonRainforest. Students will participate in the development of groundbreaking mycoremediation technology and study Latin American politicalecology. Service learning with local community members will help heallands polluted by the oil industry. Students can receive independentstudy credit through their existing college or universities.

Students may enroll in four week-long sections individually or for theentire month long course in which we will examine Ecuadorian culturaltraditions, political ecology, oil economics, toxicity andbioremediation. You may also pick and choose which courses you wouldlike to attend in sections of one-week, individually.

COURSE DESCRIPTION & ITINERARY*

A Country Study: Introduction to Ecuadorian Culture, History andEcology

Monday, December 14th: Arrive in Quito, evening introductions, welcomeand orientation. Tuesday, December 15th: Morning tour through colonialQuito, we spend the first day learning about Ecuador’s history andculture, including do’s and taboo’s and the importance of respectfulbehavior while in a foreign country. Afternoon travel to Lago Agriofor the first Mycorenewal Workshop.

Students journey to Lago Agrio with the Amazon Mycorenewal Project.This Service Learning mycoremediation course will run in conjunctionwith community workshops training locals to utilize mycorenewaltechniques to clean toxic petroleum pollution. A seed germinationtoxicity experiment will be installed to test the effectiveness ofprevious AMP experiments of soil mycoremediation by observing seedability to germinate and grow. This will take place during two week-long workshops.

While the seeds germinate, students journey to Mindo where they enjoythe cloud forest while learning about Ecuador’s incredibly diverseecology. Students will be able to participate in a wide range ofactivities while in Mindo including bird watching, hiking, mushroomhunting, river rafting, visiting waterfalls, orchid and butterflyattractions, and just relaxing by the riverside amongst thebutterflies and hummingbirds. Topics to be covered include Biology ofthe Cloud Forest, Threats to the Cloud Forest, and Conservation of theCloud Forest. Spanish language instruction is available during thissession. Sunday 28th: Leave Mindo and go back to Quito for the night.

Section 3 – Journey Into the New Year Monday, December 29th – Monday, January 5th

In this session, students foray into the Amazon wilderness in Cuyabenoto observe an intact Amazonian environment. Activities include hiking,mushroom hunting, swimming, fishing, and canoeing. Students will meetwith indigenous community members and spend time in ritual withshamans of the community.

Peak Oil Issues – Production: Destruction of Ecology, Community andTraditional Ways of Life

The course then returns to Lago Agrio for the final session andcompletion of the seed germination experiment. Stops along the wayintroduce students to communities and show toxic sites abandoned bythe oil industry, including pipeline ruptures, abandoned wells, andcommunities located near active wells. Thursday 14th: Farewell dinner.Program ends.Itinerary dates subject to adjustment.

COSTS$1,000 per section or $3,600 when enrolled in all four sections. Costcovers food, lodging and in country transportation, special gear, aswell as all activities listed in the itinerary. Spanish languageinstruction is optional and costs $10 per hour for individualinstruction; this cost may be split between up to 5 students of thesame ability level. Additional costs not covered may include, but arenot limited to: airfare, required travel insurance, optional travelimmunizations, suggested reading, beverages, souvenirs, tips anddonations. $100 articulation and curriculum fee for students seekingcollege credit through independent study. Spanish instruction isincluded in the $1000 individual section cost for the Cloud ForestHoliday Retreat.Limited scholarships are sometimes available. Students may inquirewith Cloud Forest Institute to find out more.

6 comments:

I am really glad to see mycoremediation is catching on. Mycelium is a powerful tool that can be used for all sorts of restoration projects. Re-establishing clearcut forests, erosion control, breaking down organic construction wastes are some examples.

What's happening in Ecuador is just gut wrenching...so I really hope this helps in whatever way it can. It's appalling that Chevron isn't stepping up and owning its moral obligation. Check out this blog that my friend just started to help track what's going on: http://livesforoil.blogspot.com